Imagine waking up in a mountain village, with a cool breeze coming down from the peaks, the sound of a stream outside your window, and a warm breakfast waiting on the table. This is Gilon, a place most visitors to Uzbekistan never get to see.

This 2-day journey is for travellers who want more than monuments. Here you will walk mountain paths, meet the people who live there, and see a side of Uzbekistan that still feels untouched.

Day 1: Samarkand – Teshiktosh & Kurt Bazaar – Shakhrisabz – Pottery Museum – Gilon
Leave Samarkand behind as the road climbs into the mountains, with every turn opening wider views over the valleys. Stop at Teshiktosh, where villagers line the roadside selling kurt, the salty dried cheese that every Uzbek grew up with. Taste it fresh, pick up some dried fruits and nuts, and chat with the sellers.

In Shakhrisabz, the hometown of Amir Timur, stand beneath the towering remains of Ak-Saray Palace and imagine the scale of the empire that once ruled from here.

Then step into a family home that has become a small pottery museum. Surrounded by colourful ceramics and old tools, hear how this craft has been passed from parent to child for generations. If you like, pick up a brush and paint your own traditional pattern.

As the afternoon light softens, drive up to Gilon. Watch the sun go down behind the mountains, listen to the village settle into evening, and enjoy a night of rest far from the city noise.

Day 2: Breakfast – Gilon Mountain Hike – Samarkand
Start the day with a homemade breakfast at your guesthouse. Then lace up your boots and follow your guide into the mountains above the village. Walk past orchards and streams, breathe in the fresh mountain air, and stop at viewpoints where the whole valley stretches out beneath you. This is the moment many travellers remember most.

In the afternoon, return to Samarkand with a camera full of photos and stories you won’t find in any guidebook. Get dropped off at your hotel, the train station, or the airport.